A typical communications network includes a lot of different types of network devices. For example, a typical communications network may include host devices, which act as the source or destination of a particular flow of traffic, routers and/or switches, which act to forward traffic flows toward their appropriate destinations, and security devices, which provide, for example, firewall functionality. These different types of network devices may be interconnected via links.
In some instances, a link between a pair of network devices may fail or a network device may fail. In those instances, it is important that the communications network have the capability to route a flow of traffic along a different path (e.g., one that does not include the failed link or failed network device). Currently, when an interface connected to the failed link or network device detects that the link or network device has failed, the interface may physically shut down, preventing all traffic from going through the interface.